Bolivia Events and Festivals

2/01/2008 - 2/29/2008Carnival

In towns and villages throughout Bolivia the people spend weeks and months preparing for carnival (carnaval), the most colourful and popular fiesta in the country. La Paz celebrates with characters such as "Pepinos" and "Kusillos" in bizarre costumes, flanked by dancers in street parades. Special parades are held for children, with marching Andean bands becoming more tuneless with increasing consumption of "chicha" and other intoxicating beverages. Balloons filled with water are hurled indiscriminately; not everyone's idea of fun. Among the other cities, Oruro, Santa Cruz and Tarija stand out for their particular celebrations. In Oruro, the traditional festivities begin eight days before Ash Wednesday with the "diablada" or devil dance. Elaborately masked "devils" are prominent throughout. Carnival produces a boistrous, noisy party atmosphere, great for joining in and taking photographs although later in the day, celebrations can edge towards chaos